A film by Massoud Bakhshi, Drama, 89min, Colour, 
FR/GER/CH/LUX/LBN/IRN 2019 


© JBA Production / NiKo Film / Close Up Films / Amour Fou Luxembourg / Shortcut Films / Tita B Productions / Ali Mosaffa Productions / ZDF / Arte / RTS
funded by: Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, FFA Minitraité, CNC, Film Fund Luxembourg, Breizh Fillm Fund, Torino Film Lab, nordmedia, Eurimages, OFC, Rehion Bretagne, Sundance, Bon Gah, Angoa, German Films

World Sales: Pyramide International
German Distribution: Little Dream Entertainment

Synopsis 

Maryam Sadeghi, 26 years old, is married to her father’s former boss who is 36 years her senior. Pregnant and refusing to get an abortion, Maryam accidentally kills him and is sentenced to capital punishment. She has to confront his daughter, Mona Zia, through a popular reality TV show where the accused asks for pardon in front of millions of viewers. As the show progresses, Maryam will soon uncover the truth and the terrible compromises made by her own family.   

Cast

Sadaf Asgari, Behnaz Jafari, Babak Karimi

Crew

Producers

Marianne Dumoulin, Jacques Bidou

Co-Producers

Nicole Gerhards, Joelle Bertossa, Bady Minck 

& Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu

Director

Massoud Bakhshi

Script

Massoud Bakhshi

Production Manager

Kambiz Safari

DoP

Julian Atanassov

Editor

Jacques Comets

Original Sound

Dana Farzanehpour

Production Design

Mahmoud Bakhshi

Costume Design

Leila Naghdi Pari

 

Festivals and Awards 

36th Sundance Film Festival 2020, World Cinema Dramatic Competition - Winner of the Grand Jury Prize
70th International Film Festival Berlin 2020, Generation 14plus Competition
18th FIFDH International Film festival and Forum on Human Rights 2020
11th Luxembourg City Film Festival
24th Sofia International Film Festival - Special Mention for Best Screenplay 
54th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2020

Press

"There is really much to enjoy in this paradoxical but grippingly paced film. Young Asgari ist beautifully castin the main role [...]. Julian Atanassov, the cinematographer, opts for elegant opulence in muted colors as the camera nervously follows characters around the studio and backstage offices. Jacques Comets' editing is precise and always fluid."
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"A fascinating duel for control with many emotional outbursts, the film also gives the director opportunities to intelligently address the mechanisms of TV spectacle with a very cinematic eye supported by the beautiful cinematography of Bulgarian DoP Julian Atanassov."
CINEUROPA 

Trailer